What should I do about my mantis?

billn

New member
Hi,
I have mantis shrimp that came in on Fiji Liverock about 2 years ago. I never knew he was in my tank until I introduced a tiger pistol shrimp pair about 6 months ago. I think the tiger pistol evicted the mantis who ended up in my overflow and has been there ever since. I have a bunch of holed sponges in the overflow that he is living in. He is green with maroon stripes and very small - maybe 2 inches at most. If you look at him head on it appears he has 2 sets of eyes - one set being menacing white ones painted on little appendages on the front of his body that stand out in the dark. He seems fine as is since it is a big overflow but he will not eat anything I offer. He has eaten all the microfauna in the overflow - which included lots of pods and oddly enough he seems to have eaten all sea squirts as well.

Should I keep him in the overflow? I do not mind putting him back in the tank since he seems to do little damage to the fauna from what I have seen over the years. I am afraid that if I put him back in the tank the tiger pistol shrimp will go after him again. Can they co-exist in a 200 gallon tank? I cannot devote a second tank to him. Could I put him in my refugium that has sea horses? Thanks for any info.
 
I am not an expert on mantis shrimp but do NOT put him in with you seahorses! I am not sure that an overflow is the best home for him either. As far as putting him in the main tank I'm not sure. Your best bet would probably be setting up a small tank for him or finding him a new home. Of course, I would be willing to take him.:D I could give him a nice 15gal all to himself. Good luck with any decision you make!
 
Set up a 7 or 10 gallon, they make awsome pets.


I just got one about half an inch in size and I keep him in my 1 gallon. I feed him baby snails and whatever else I can find in my main tank.


If you decide to give him away it looks like crgeltn or hackster1 would be more that happy to give him a good home :)
 
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